44 Elysian Soldiers

With his sword pointed towards the atmosphere Astrallis shouted in defiance against the heavens, the soaring spear followed his guide. Shockwaves radiated off the spearhead as it moved, breaking through multiple sound barriers.

The closer they drew towards the first-layer the more unstable their travel became.

An incandescent line of fire followed the gigantic spear, the streak of the flame was akin to a firey wound across the atmosphere.

As if feeling pain, the Heavenly Laws went into action. Ethereal chains, golden in colour, burst forth from the multi-coloured firmament above the couple.

The chains instantly locked onto the spear and burst forth with energy, the sky of the world began to shine with multi-coloured rays of lights in response to the Heavenly Law's actions.

This sudden change startled the Augustin World and many of the other neighbouring planets of the Astral Realm.

---

Inside @RisingGeniuses

"Here it comes. Let us see what this boy of the Felicity Religion can pull off."

"So arrogant to think he can dismantle the heavens, hopefully, he gets annihilated."

"I hope he can make it, that would be great!"

---

Four beautiful figures sat on lotuses watching the projection of Astrallis attempting the Nine Heavens ascension.

Two of the figures were mature ladies, with bountiful busts, and slender, curvaceous figures. These two ladies looked towards the entranced girls before them.

"Haha, it seems sister Anemone's grandson, who she can't stop talking about, is quite something," said one of the ladies with blood red hair, and piercing carmine eyes to match.

"Sister Blood, I don't know how we are going to live this one down," said Eternal Blossom immortal, mirth evident in her voice.

"Anemone is never going to let us hear the end of this. He has captured both our precious darlings hearts," The Blood God, the mother of Enyo, said in exasperation.

"It's not just his talent, even his looks… In all my years I haven't seen a boy so perfect in appearance. If it weren't for sister Anemone, I would have already eaten him up," the pink haired lady said, a flash of calculation appeared in her eyes.

"Oh. For our pure sister Blossom to even have thoughts of such nature, he must be quite the devil." The Blood God said while she licked her lip.

---

All of the sudden Astrallis felt a shiver run down his spine, but he was sure it wasn't from the raging Heavens above him.

"What's wrong?" Eversnow asked when she saw the change Astrallis' posture.

"Ah, I've just a had bit of enlightenment," Astrallis spluttered, "this Nine Heavens ascension is nothing much."

'Well, at least compared to what I'll face in the future.' He shivered inwardly.

The pure Eversnow nodded in agreement, none the wiser.

At this moment the golden chains finally made contact with the spear. The point of the spear pierced straight through the chains, moving unhindered it carried on with his ascent. Golden grains of light was all that was left in the spears wake akin to fireworks.

The initial contact only marked the first of many chains that would come, but the spear formed out of Astrallis' and Eversnow's Art of Dance, as well as abilities, was fortified beyond a level which those chains could compare with.

The Heavenly Laws as if noticing the irrevocable momentum of the spear, began to form a multitude of figures varying in different sizes and colours. But, there was one commonality between the figures they were all wearing armour.

"Elysian Soldiers." A stern look appeared on the face of Grandmother Anemone, as she watched from afar.

"These apparitions take the shape of all those who have attempted to ascend to immortality through the Nine Heaven ascension, throughout the universe. Luckily, these apparitions only embody the killing-intent of those characters. Otherwise, there is no way that Astrallis and his little friend would be able to withstand the onslaught."

"But, dealing with the killing-intent may be too much for them already, unless…" Grandmother Aneome began to make rapid calculations.

At this moment a terrifying killing-intent radiated from the Elysian Soldiers in the form a shockwave. The carmine shockwave, with a hint of azure, sped towards the duo.

"Eversnow, aid me with your Life-Water." Astrallis barked.

Eversnow performed a myriad of hand symbols as she commanded the Life-Water to form a shield around Astrallis. Once the shield was formed around Astrallis, he stepped in front of Eversnow to take the brunt of the approaching killing-intent.

Astrallis roared as the shockwave hit him, he immediately took some steps back as the killing-intent continued to buffet him. Astrallis placed his sword in front of him and struck down with his Minting-Realm battle-power.

An emerald ray, the width of the spear, shot out from Astrallis sword as he struck the killing-intent. Multiple ripples spread out from the point of contact, Astrallis carried on infusing Qi into his Dharmic Sword further propelling the ray of emerald Sword Qi.

---

"Come on Astrallis, you can do this," Enyo, sitting next to Azalea, whispered.

"There's nothing that our brother Astrallis cannot do," Azalea said intending to show an aura of confidence, but whose voice betrayed her.

Both mother and master looked at the two girls with pale visages, unbeknownst to the two young girls they were holding each other's hands.

Grave looks were on the faces of the older ladies. They understood the terrifying killing-intent that was embodied in those Elysian Soldiers, it was not something a youth who has barely lived for a decade could withstand.

Even when they, after all the tribulations and killing they had gone through, went through their Immortal Ascension the killing intent from the Elysian soldiers almost prevented them from becoming Immortals. Although the first layer of the Nine Heavens ascension may seem to be the weakest in regards to battle-power if one didn't have a will akin to a monolith or matured through years upon years of murder they would eventually succumb to it.

The same grave looks appeared on the faces of all Immortals watching Astrallis attempting his ascension, the emotions that the Immortals were experiencing was a far cry from the naivety within the @RisingGeniuses chat.

---

The killing-intent radiated off of the Elysian Soldiers suddenly intensified manifold sending a shockwave towards Astrallis that spread through the sky, turning the atmosphere a carmine red.

Astrallis emerald Sword Qi instantly shattered and he was forced back into Eversnow. But, even during this, he kept his robust frame, which came from the Rampage of Felicity, covering Eversnow. The force of the shockwave rattled Astrallis, causing blood to leak from his mouth.

"Astrallis!" Eversnow cried in worry.

"It is fine, I just need to…"

As Astrallis replied the Life-Water shield suddenly shuddered, and the killing-intent began to corrode Eversnow's creation. Eversnow quickly began to funnel more Life-Water into Astrallis shield, the Snow Lillies spun swiftly creating more Life-Water.

But, even then, the new influx of Life-Water only slowed down the corrosion of the shield. Gradually small holes began to form in the buffer, and strands of killing-intent seeped into the armour.

As the killing-intent touched Astrallis, an overwhelming presence hit him. A fearful look appeared on his face, and his body shuddered in response.

"If only this little amount of killing-intent was able to frighten me… what about the rest?"

In the end, Astrallis was only a youth, he hadn't experienced vast scenes of murder and killing. He had not been bathed in the blood of his enemies, a thing such as killing-intent was something one tempered their will in after countless life-and-death situations, and it is impossible for a child to have many of these experiences.

As Astrallis was thinking this the holes in the buffer began to larger and denser killing-intent began to invade Astrallis, causing him to shake in terror.

But even during his terror Astrallis still stood firm. He promised Eversnow that nothing would happen to her so he would keep his promise no matter what.

Eversnow stared at the broad back of the man stood before him, a complicated look appeared across her face.

Gradually the killing-intent began to invade his consciousness, causing his Spirit-Being to shudder. Astrallis' eyes became red in agony. His will was reaching the point of collapse.

At that moment a voice appeared in Astrallis' head, a voice neither masculine or feminine, both ethereal and real.

"Silly child, what have you got yourself into? Hmm, this is only some measly killing-intent. You'll have to go through much more than this to reach the heights I want you to."

In the midst of his terror, a stunned look crossed his face. Astrallis turned his head in the direction the voice was coming from, and somehow he could see through myriad layers of space and time. In the middle of those folds of space and time, a palace appeared in Astrallis' vision.

And within that palace was the silhouette of a figure sitting by a pond.

The figure by the pond slowly lifted their right hand and extended its index finger in the direction of Astrallis forehead.

"I haven't given you any advice on how to use your spirit, I guess it's time for some enlightenment."

As the silhouette's words ended, a small golden light shot out from its raised finger.